2004-1-28
This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education
Report.
Experts say students are never too young to think creatively
about science. Educator Karen Meador says early education can help
children become creative science students later in life. Mizz Meador
offers some suggestions for activities. She recently shared her
ideas with Gifted Child Today Magazine.
For example, she describes how students between the ages of about
four and eight can explore the movement of liquid on wax paper. The
wax keeps the water from disappearing into the paper.
In addition to the wax paper, students need small tubes called
eye droppers for the experiment. The students also need water
containing red, yellow and blue food coloring. Using the eye
droppers, they place the colored water onto the wax paper. Then they
blow softly into the water. Or they can blow through a straw, a thin
hollow tube, to move the water drops.
The students observe the tension on the surface. They see how it
affects the way the water moves and shapes itself. Even when
students blow the drops of water across the paper, the liquid keeps
its round shape. Mizz Meador says the children like to see how the
colors mix when one colored drop slides into another.
The shape and movement of the water is similar to that of
mercury. But mercury is dangerous to handle.Mizz Meador also says
children can study how water acts on aluminum foil. They can find
out if the water will act the same on a metal surface as it did on
wax paper. Before doing the new experiment, they can write their
ideas about what they think will happen. Or they can record their
ideas on tape. Mizz Meador says this activity prepares them for more
difficult experiments.
The children again move the colored water around by blowing
directly onto it or through or a straw. But this time they move it
on the foil. Then they test their theories about how the water would
act against what really took place. Similar experiments can be
carried out with other kinds of paper or glass.
Karen Meador is writer of the book "Creative Thinking and Problem
Solving for Young Learners," published by Teacher Ideas Press.
This Special English Education Report was written by Jerilyn
Watson. This is Steve Ember.